what does the poet say the boy is learning from the loss of the ball?Try to explain this in your own words
Answers
Answer:
The poet says that the boy is learning to cope up with the loss of the ball. He is experiencing grief and learning to grow up in this world of possessions. He learns that there are so many things in life that are to be lost and cannot be brought back. It is useless to feel sorrow for it.
Explanation:
The Ball Poem by John Berryman beautifully describes the state of mind of a boy who has lost his ball playing. He also gives a lesson full of wisdom that through loss every man or woman learns to bear the pain associated with loss.
The poet sees a boy who is playing with a ball. The ball bounces out of his control and falls into the water. The boy becomes sad at this. The poet feels no other ball given to the boy will lessen his sadness.
The lost ball stands for the general losses a human being suffers as he grows old. The losses may be the loss of a personal possession or the death of a dear one or separation from a beloved one. Using this metaphor the poet highlights the main point of coming to terms with the losses. As long as there is life, there will be many types of losses; what each one has to learn is bearing those losses.
Answer:
According to the poet, the boy is learning about responsibility from the loss of the ball. By losing the ball, the boy has also lost all the childhood memories associated with that ball. Simply buying a new ball cannot bring back these memories. Hence, the boy will learn that the world is materialistic and losing valuable things will be inevitable. What is lost can never be returned and this is the harsh reality of life. The poet says that the boy will learn to accept this reality and he will stand up and keep moving ahead despite his loss.